Him & Wallace im gonna throw a party!! Im a huge Cook fan!! DO WORK PHINS!!!

By Omar Kelly, Staff writer8:30 p.m. EDT, March 10, 2013

Receiver isn't the only offensive position the Miami Dolphins are working feverishly to upgrade.

The Dolphins have been talking to representatives for the NFL's top-tier free-agent tight ends and have put a couple feelers out before Tuesday's signings begin.

A source told the Sun Sentinel tight end Jared Cook is high on Miami's list of possible "tier one" free-agent targets. Cook, a 6-foot-5, 246-pounder who ran the 40-yard dash in 4.49 seconds, is the type of weapon that commands the attention of defenses.

Cook, a third-round pick whom the Dolphins liked in the 2009 draft, had his breakout season in 2011, catching 49 catches for 759 yards and three touchdowns.

Cook's numbers fell off to 44 receptions for 523 yards in 2012, but he did score four touchdowns during his 485 snaps.

Cook isn't a traditional tight end considering he spent most of his tenure in Tennessee slipped out like a receiver. Blocking has also been an issue during his NFL career, but the Dolphins haven't ruled out re-signing Anthony Fasano, who is considered one of the NFL's better blockers.

Miami does have a few options at tight end, either through free agency or the 2013 draft. Giants tight end Martellus Bennett, the New York Jets' Dustin Keller, Oakland's Brandon Myers, San Francisco's Delanie Walker and Cook are the top unrestricted free-agent tight ends. Bennett is the best all-purpose tight end in the bunch. The others are pass-catching specialists.

Tight ends are en vogue in today's NFL, which means the top free agents will be in demand considering Miami, Cleveland, St. Louis and Chicago are looking for upgrades at the position, and the Falcons, Giants, Raiders, Titans and the Jets would need to fill voids if one of their tight ends depart.

The Dolphins need to upgrade the position because Fasano, who caught 177 passes and scored 23 touchdowns during his five-year tenure as the Dolphins' starter, struggled to gain separation from linebackers the past season.

Charles Clay, a sixth-round pick in 2011, has been inconsistent in his first two seasons, and struggles as a blocker. Michael Egnew, a third-round pick in the 2012 draft, struggled in his rookie season and must address concerns about his toughness moving forward.

If the Dolphins decide against adding a free agent, they could wait until April's draft to address the position because five tight end prospects — Notre Dame's Tyler Eifert, Stanford's Zach Ertz, Florida's Jordan Reed, San Diego State's Gavin Escobar and Cincinnati's Travis Kelce — will likely get selected early in the first three rounds.

The Titans considered placing the franchise tag on Cook but decided against it. However, Tennessee is reportedly still working to re-sign Cook.

"Cook is definitely someone that we feel very strongly about. We feel he's a big part of us having success next year," Titans coach Mike Munchak said at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Considering the Dolphins have a little over $30 million in cap space to spend on free agents and draftees this offseason, it is doubtful that whatever Miami does at tight end will impact how they address other positions.

They’ve talked to a number of agents for tight ends (which they should, if Cook plays them for leverage like so many have), but Cook seems to be the preference.

Cook’s an excellent receiver, and if they could pair him with Wallace and the re-signed Brian Hartline, the Dolphins would have surrounded second-year quarterback Ryan Tannehill with plenty of options in the passing game.

Now if they can protect him and run the ball occasionally, they’ll be set.

I like Cook but I feel that Eifert or Escobar can match his productivity for "a lot" less money

That may be, but three factors point to why Miami would rather sign a guy:

1. Ireland's job is on the line in the short term2. A rookie TE in this offense could face a difficult transition and not be effective for a year or two3. You already have a couple of young, stretch the defense guys in Clay and Egnew. I don't see Egnew even making the team and Clay has not developed as quickly, but through Ireland's eyes its probably best to sign a proven commodity and hope that one of those guys develops behind him.

I like Cook but I feel that Eifert or Escobar can match his productivity for "a lot" less money

Keep in mind that Cook hasn't had a good QB to throw him the ball in Tennessee, so take his productivity with a grain of salt.

He has a dimension none of the guys you mentioned have. He can run a sub 4.5 40. Those other guys are simply not to same type of athlete and in a system with Mike Wallace blowing the top off the defense having a tight end that can get downfield will be huge.

The Dolphins are looking to add speed to the offense this offseason, and the guys you mentioned don't bring that.

Also, with all the other needs we have, if you can address tight end in free agency you should do it. That way you set yourself to take the best players available in the draft rather than reach for needs.

I like Cook but I feel that Eifert or Escobar can match his productivity for "a lot" less money

Keep in mind that Cook hasn't had a good QB to throw him the ball in Tennessee, so take his productivity with a grain of salt.

He has a dimension none of the guys you mentioned have. He can run a sub 4.5 40. Those other guys are simply not to same type of athlete and in a system with Mike Wallace blowing the top off the defense having a tight end that can get downfield will be huge.

The Dolphins are looking to add speed to the offense this offseason, and the guys you mentioned don't bring that.

Also, with all the other needs we have, if you can address tight end in free agency you should do it. That way you set yourself to take the best players available in the draft rather than reach for needs.

I wouldnt say that Matt Hasselbeck isn't a good QB. Aside from a few long yardage catches most of his games finish somewhere in the 3 for 30 yards realm.

You called James Harrison washed up in another thread based on what he has done the past year or so... you may want to take a look at what Hasselbeck has done the past few years.

Throw in Jake Locker, and Jared Cook hasn't had the opportunity to play with a good QB.

Hasselback actually played well before Locker replaced him. He was putting up good numbers in 2011.I don't know why Jared Cook would be so much better in Miami than he was in tennesee.

I don't know if this guy wants to be paid like an elite tight end because he absolutely is not.Let's pay him for what we know that he is. Which according to this season's numbers, he was the 20th best tight end in the league. Outgained by some pretty average tight ends. If he is so fast and so athletic he would at least be putting up top 10 numbers.

Our slow blocking tight end had close to the same totals that the 'athletic freak' Jared Cook had.

Quote:

According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, free agent Jared Cook is seeking "$6 million-plus" in contract negotiations.Estimates on Cook's price are all over the map. The Miami Herald has suggested $8 million to $10 million a year, while the Nashville Tennessean projected $7 million to $8 million annually. The $6-million figure seems most realistic, but Cook could exceed that if as many teams pursue him as has been projected. The Bears, Eagles, Dolphins, Browns, Rams, and Titans have all been rumored.

7 to 10 million for Fasano-like production???? Give me Eifert or Escobar. Younger and cheaper.

Also, with all the other needs we have, if you can address tight end in free agency you should do it. That way you set yourself to take the best players available in the draft rather than reach for needs.

The team has been set up for this moment. Get some good quality FA's. Draft guys, some of whom will need to develop. But with talent in front of them, you can allow that.

2 years of this (2013 and 2014) and the GMs job becomes easy: decide which quality guys to resign; find BPA at nearly every point in te draft.

Also, with all the other needs we have, if you can address tight end in free agency you should do it. That way you set yourself to take the best players available in the draft rather than reach for needs.

The team has been set up for this moment. Get some good quality FA's. Draft guys, some of whom will need to develop. But with talent in front of them, you can allow that.

2 years of this (2013 and 2014) and the GMs job becomes easy: decide which quality guys to resign; find BPA at nearly every point in te draft.

Wouldn't it be amazing if we could get it to work?

If Ireland can sign offensive talent and draft good defensive talent then the cap situation won't be terrible when guys like Dansby, Burnett and Soliai come off the books. And vice versa if they can develop offensive talent to replace current FA signings.

Yes, calling a QB who got replaced by a terrible rookie washed up is reaching, but calling a pass rusher who has 15 sacks the past two seasons "washed up" isn't.

you keep going back to this as if it's helping your Cook case. fact is Hasselback put up big enough numbers so that Cook (being such a great tight end according to you) should have been able to have a top 5 TE season. Something like 900 yards and 8 to 10 TD's. But he never came close to a year like that. Which is why he doesnt excite me.

Of course it is helping my case. It shows an inconsistency on your part. You're quick to call one player washed up but then call a player who was replaced good. So your barometer of what is good and what is washed up changes based on your bias.

I guess an 81 QB rating is playing well in a league where the top 10 guys all had QB ratings over 90.... but James Harrison with 15 sacks in two seasons is washed up.

You bring up his rating but not his yardage thrown for??i dont care what his rating was, he put up big enough numbers that should have allowed Cook to amass high tight end numbers yet he still didnt. That's my point.Bringing up James Harrison just derails the topic at hand.

Hasselback is washed up now just like Harrison. But we're nottalking about Hasselback here. We're talking about Jared Cook.

Of course it is helping my case. It shows an inconsistency on your part. You're quick to call one player washed up but then call a player who was replaced good. So your barometer of what is good and what is washed up changes based on your bias.

This is called a lack of objectivity.

no it doesnt. It shows that you are 'deflecting' because you do that when you start to lose your argument. I've presented a strong case to not pay Cook big money. And you can't admit you might actually be wrong.